Deirdre Piper

Before joining the Music Program in 1972, Dr. Piper held posts at the University of Manchester and the School of Music, Huddersfield Polytechnic. Dr. Piper was Chair of the Department from 1980 until 1984, and was instrumental in the establishing of the Department’s electronic studio and connected studies, and the Carleton Contemporary Music Group. She has been active as a leader in the general musical community, directing community orchestras and choirs, providing adjudication at various festivals, has served as the permanent accompanist to the Canadian Centennial Choir, and has taught classes in composition and run workshops in church music for the Ottawa area under the auspices of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. She has been a founding director and president of Espace Musique Concerts Society, a director and president of the National Capital Suzuki School of Music, and is currently a director of the Association of Canadian Women Composers. Dr Piper currently holds the post of Music Director at the Anglican Church of St Matthias in Ottawa.

Dr Piper is a composer (SOCAN), a member of the Canadian League of Composers, a member of the Association of Canadian Women Composers, and an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre. Most of her current work is in the area of instrumental and vocal chamber music. In 1989 she was the recipient of the Arts Faculty Marston LaFrance Fellowship for the theatre piece The Seven Questions, for which she also received financial support from the Canada Council. In addition, other professional work centres on organ and piano performance, and in the latter capacity is partner to the soprano Gloria Jean Nagy in the duo Cantabile.

Within Carleton, Dr Piper served from 1973 to 1978 as concert organizer for the President’s Fine Arts Committee, and has been a member of the Dean of Arts Committee on Fine Arts, the Promotions Committee of the Arts Faculty, and the Chaplaincy Council.